


A Beautiful Tool

by TheArtStudentYouHate



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Disagreement, Established Relationship, M/M, Tumblr Prompt, £30 pen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 06:37:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12929607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheArtStudentYouHate/pseuds/TheArtStudentYouHate
Summary: Wait... How much did you spend on that pen???





	A Beautiful Tool

**Author's Note:**

> I saw one of those writing prompt posts on Tumblr and saw this prompt and knew that it was meant for mystrade. Merinda said I should write it cause I wrote up a few sentences... so, uh, here you go. Enjoy.
> 
> Here's the tumblr post  
> https://chasingriversong.tumblr.com/post/168118585738/submission-high-school

Sitting at one of the tables in the university library, Greg Lestrade absentmindedly played footsie with his boyfriend while he studied his criminology textbook and chewed on the end of his pen.

“Do you have any idea at all where that pen may have been? I believe Anderson ‘lent’ it to you and God knows what he was studying when he had it. He _is_ in forensics.” Mycroft Holmes was giving the pen a slightly horrified look.

“Hmm? Oh. Yeah. Thanks.” Greg moved the pen away from his mouth and smiled gratefully at Mycroft before returning to his book only to be disturbed just a few moments later.

“For God’s sake. I do have to kiss you and I’d rather know that there’s no chance that the lips I’m kissing inadvertently came into contact with a rotting liver.”

“Sorry. Yeah, you’re right. I’ll try to stop. How’s the studying going?”

“It’d be better if I didn’t have to make sure you don’t accidentally contract the plague by chewing on a pen.” Mycroft looked frustratedly at the pen that was making it’s way back towards Greg’s mouth.

Greg looked sheepishly at him. “It’s a force of habit.” His smile turned cheeky. “I suppose I’ve got an oral fixation.” He poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue and raised an eyebrow… before absentmindedly putting the pen back in his mouth.

Mycroft rolled his eyes before reaching across the table and snatching the pen away from his very single minded boyfriend. “If you must do that, at least use one of mine. The worst place that pen has been is Dr Lewis’ statistics class,” he said while replacing the pen in Greg’s hand with one of his and getting up from the table to throw away the chewed 75p bulk pen.

Greg looked at the replacement in his hand. It felt quite heavy and when he went to pull off the cap, found that he had to unscrew it instead.

“Nice pen,” Greg remarked as Mycroft sat down again. “Feels… uh, girthy.” He chuckled slightly.

Mycroft looked unamused. “Feel free to keep it. I’ve plenty more,” he said while beginning to turn his attention back to his studying.

“What’s a pen like this set you back? Gotta be a couple of pounds at least.” Greg was still looking at said pen.

“I believe that particular model was about £15,” he replied distractedly.

Greg whistled and was promptly shushed by a nearby librarian. “What about the one you got? Looks a bit fancier than this,” he whispered.

“Mmm… I think it was about £30,” said while still engrossed in his texts.

“£30!” Greg yelled, before looking sheepishly at the librarian who yet again had shushed him and this time added a dirty look. “You spent £30 on a pen?” He went back to whispering.

Mycroft stared at him. “It’s a good pen and has served me well. You can’t put a price on quality.”

“They did. Apparently it’s £30,” Greg said incredulously.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Gregory. This is one of the companies lower end models. My mother, last christmas, gifted my father with one that retails for upwards of £100. Actually, I wonder if she’d consider that for my gift this year…,” he trailed off thoughtfully.

“£100 pen? Does it cook breakfast and walk the dog as well?”

“We don’t have a dog.”

Greg just stared at Mycroft.

“It’s a very fine writing tool that fits very well in your hand and allows for the smoothest possible ink flow. The fact that it is encased in 24k gold and mother of pearl only highlights how beautiful a tool it really is.”

“You’re a beautiful tool, did you know that?”

“Why thank you.” Mycroft felt rather chuffed before he realised that Greg hadn’t meant it as a compliment. “Well. My pen doesn’t have any gold or pearls…”

“No. Just sterling silver and amethyst.”

“Sterling silver would never work. It would bend and tarnish…”

“But it has amethyst?”

“Well, my birthday is in february and amethyst can be quite inexpensive really.”

“Jesus.”

“Had nothing to do with the price of my writing utensils. Now can we please get back to studying?”

“There are people starving and your family is spending £100 on pens.” Greg wanted to kick himself as soon as he heard those words out loud. The look on Mycroft’s face nearly broke his heart. “Oh. My. I’m sorry. I didn’t…”

“No. It’s quite alright, Gregory. You have every reason to be angry. It is a ridiculous thing to spend money on.”

Greg could see Mycroft closing off. God. He was such a bloody idiot. “Look, My. I really am sorry. I have to get to football practise, but maybe I’ll see you later,” he said while standing up and quickly grabbing his stuff. Mycroft sighed before looking up at him and giving a small smile.

“I’ve psychology class later this evening, but perhaps tomorrow.”

“I’d love that.” Greg smiled then swooped down for a kiss.

They smiled at each other once more before Greg headed out of the library. Mycroft looked down and smiled when he realised that Greg still had his pen.

 

***

 

Mycroft fumbled slightly with the key before turning the lock and shaking the snow off of his coat before entering his small flat. A small envelope sat on the inside mat, obviously having been pushed under the door while he was gone.

Picking up the envelope, he smiled as he recognised the familiar slightly messy scrawl of his name in Gregory’s handwriting. Setting his keys down, he opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. There was something else in the envelope as well, but Mycroft decided to read the letter first.

 

_Dear Mycroft,_

_I can’t tell you how sorry I am for how I acted the other day. You are the most generous, caring man that I know and I acted like a complete prick. I see you work so hard every single day because someday, you’re going to rule Britain and we’ll all be better for it. Because you care and you love so much and you are always putting others, including your country, first._

_Your family has money. A lot of money and i’m not sure if some silly working class boy like me will ever be used to that, but having money doesn’t make you a bad person and spending money on things that make you happy doesn’t make you a bad person either and that’s something that I have to learn. You deserve to be happy Mycroft. You deserve all of the happiness in the world. You work so hard and should have the absolute best tools to help you do the job properly so I hope your present helps with that. I unfortunately couldn’t afford the gold and mother of pearl pen, but maybe someday when I’m a cop I’ll be able to give you that and other nice things that put a smile on your face._

_I love when you smile at nice things like fancy pens and your three piece suits and the fact that sometimes I can make you smile makes me feel like the luckiest man alive. I love you, Mycroft and I’m sorry that the first time I’m telling you that is in writing and not in person, but this way you have a record of the very first time I said it. I hope to be able to tell you that all of the time now, because I feel it all of the time. Every time you smile and laugh or are working hard and concentrating on something I look at you and my heart feels like it couldn’t hold anymore love for you. But now I’m getting sappy and should wrap this up before I embarrass myself anymore than I have (plus I also know that you haven’t looked at the pen yet and are probably dying to.)_

_Never doubt for a moment that you are a wonderful person, Mycroft._

 

_With all of my love,_

_Greg Lestrade_

 

_P.S. I’m keeping your pen. You’re right. This is the nicest pen I’ve ever used._

 

Mycroft’s cheeks hurt from how much he was smiling. His Gregory loved him. He had it in writing. He wanted to show this letter to everyone he met. He wanted it read and presented on the 6 o’clock news. He wanted this safely on display in a museum to show everyone that Mycroft Holmes was loved, and not only that, loved by the most wonderful man in the world. But he also really wanted to see what his present was.

Carefully setting aside the letter, Mycroft reached into the envelope and pulled out a new pen, rather like his current pen, but instead of just amethyst gemstones, every second one had been interchanged with what appeared to be peridot, Greg’s birthstone.

Mycroft gently cradled the pen before slowly unscrewing the cap. Towards the base of the pen, sitting right where Mycroft would rest his thumb to hold it, a very small M+G was engraved in line with the nib. Mycroft smiled yet again, before silently cursing that Greg wasn’t here in person.

That was until there was a knock at the door.

Greg smiled as the door flew open.

“Did you get your… woah!” He was cut off as Mycroft pulled him into the flat. He was pushed up against the door and kissed rather soundly before Mycroft pulled back slightly to say in between kisses.

“You, Gregory Lestrade… are the kindest… sweetest… most beautiful man on earth and I love you so much that I must have you naked and in my bed as soon as possible.” Greg was glad that Mycroft didn't have any roommates.

“Yes of course. Were you wanting to see my beautiful tool?”

Mycroft huffed out a breath. “I love you so much that I’m going to ignore that horrible pun.”

“That’s probably for the best,” Greg said before being lead to Mycroft’s bedroom.

 

***

 

Mycroft smiled to himself when, much later, he used his new pen to write down every important detail of his day in his diary, especially the salacious ones.

 

**Author's Note:**

> feel free to find me on tumblr at theartstudentyouhate


End file.
